We’re Subsidizing The Group That Wants More GOP Obstruction.

For over a week, Republicans have refused to focus on anything but so-called scandal. And, it turns out, that’s exactly the way they want it. On Thursday, the Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank, sent a letter to GOP leaders, and told them to avoid working on any legislation that could take the focus off of the Obama Administration.

Michael Needham, the CEO of Heritage Action for America, wrote, “Legislation such as the Internet sales tax, or the FARRM Act, which contains nearly $800 billion in food stamp spending, would give the press a reason to shift their attention away from the failures of the Obama administration to write another ‘circular firing squad’ article.” In other words, they want Republicans to use the media’s scandal obsession to keep the focus off of in-fighting within the Party, and to avoid getting any real work done.

It’s also important to note that Heritage Action is a registered 501(c)(4) organization. That means you and me are subsidizing the very organization that’s telling our lawmakers not to do their job. As if Republicans in Congress ever needed an excuse to do nothing. The fact is, while the GOP obsesses about so-called scandal, the pressing issues facing our nation are being ignored.

Instead of trying to score political points, Republicans could be working to help our economy, create jobs, or to fix our broken immigration system. They were not elected to do the bidding of conservative think tanks. It’s time to listen to the American people, put aside political witch-hunts, and start working on the issues that people actually care about.

One of the most startling trends to come out of the wreckage of the 2007-2008 financial crisis is the explosion of Wall Street firms buying up and renting out property all across the country. This is insane -- it’s a recipe for disaster.

About Thom Hartmann

Thom Hartmann, progressive national and internationally syndicated talkshow host (also simulcast as TV in 40 million homes by Dish Network/Free Speech TV), and New York Times bestselling, 4-times project Censored winning author of 24 books in print in 17 languages on five continents. Leonardo DiCaprio was inspired by Thom's book "The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight" to make the movie "The 11th Hour" (in which Thom stars), and Warner Brothers is making a movie starring DiCaprio from the book Thom co-authored with Lamar Waldron, "Legacy of Secrecy."